


Confronting Kent

by purpleandgreen



Series: Harvey and Jerusha [4]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Jerusha is a proud gf, Jodie is lonely, Kent is a depressed mess, POV Harvey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:35:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28985706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purpleandgreen/pseuds/purpleandgreen
Summary: Dr Harvey Brennan makes amends with someone he never expected to bond with.
Relationships: Harvey & Female Player (Stardew Valley), Harvey (Stardew Valley)/Original Female Character(s), Harvey/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Series: Harvey and Jerusha [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114730
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Part 4 of the series Harvey and Jerusha.  
> Writing this and playing SDV is keeping me sane during lockdown. Thanks ConcernedApe for this beautiful game.  
> Thank you to all the amazing Harvey writers out there who inspired me to write this series. I'm honestly in awe of you and your talents.

Spring melts into summer. The weather is uncomfortably warm and thankfully my workload lessens. Jerusha’s workload has however, increased ten-fold and she spends much of her time toiling away planting, harvesting, and looking after her newly acquired chickens. 

She has a regular flock of 24 now split between two coops. The eggs are bringing in a steady stream of welcome income to the farm, she tells me on our nightly phone call. 

Getting time to see her is tricky and probably this will continue into Fall. When she visits Pierre’s shop to pick up supplies, she drops in to see me, always with a present. 

When I tell her she doesn’t need to bother, she just shrugs and kisses me. When she passes on her way to get her tools mended and upgraded at Clint’s smithy, she’ll often pop her head in. Her and Maru have become quite good friends, but that is natural for Jerusha. She is a gregarious, outgoing, generous person and everyone loves her. 

So, when she comes into the clinic one hot Tuesday morning with a serious face, I am worried.

“Hi honey, Maru.” She kisses me and waves to Maru, who as usual is behind the counter working at her computer. 

“Hey, sweetheart. Everything okay? You look a bit pale.”

“Harvey, can I have a word? In private?”

My heart drops. What can this be about? I start to feel a bit sick. On TV, this is how break-ups are initiated, (my constant fear) but I keep my tone even and my voice light, “Sure. Maru, can you hold the fort for a few minutes?”

Maru looks around the empty waiting room, “I’ll do my best to hold back the crowds doc.” She says sarcastically.

I ignore the remark and usher Jerusha into my office, “What can I do for you?”

“Are you using your doctor’s voice?” She frowns.

“Yeah, sorry. Force of habit. What’s going on?”

“Honey, I’m drowning in all the work I’ve got. I – I think I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. I’m getting less than 4 hours sleep a night, I’m exhausted.”

“What can I do to help?”

“I knew you were going to say that. I don’t want you to help. I don’t want to be rude Harvey, but farming isn’t exactly your field.” 

“If you’ll pardon the pun.” We say together, it’s become a catchphrase between us. We laugh and it eases the tension a little; but I’m still concerned for her. It’s true, I’m useless on the farm. I can fix some fences and feed the animals once I was told which feed to use on which livestock, but I don’t have the knack for it that Jerusha has. It’s a talent she has. Seeing her in the fields, picking her crops, she looks so relaxed and at home, it’s easy to see that she comes from farming stock. I can imagine that her grandfather would be immensely proud.

“So,” She sighs, bringing the conversation back on track, “I’ve had an offer of help from someone in the valley. But you’re not going to like it.”

I frown, “Who is it?”

“Shane.”

I take a sharp, deep breath. “No.” 

“Harvey…” 

I can feel a stab of anger like a splinter under the fingernail. Shane has already tried it on with Jerusha and she had to order him off her property. This was before Jerusha and I were officially together, and there had been no further trouble, but I didn’t trust him. 

Shane is a troubled young man, but that doesn’t excuse his behaviour. 

Go into the Saloon in the town square any evening of the week and you’re certain of two things: Gus will have a warm welcome for you, and the town’s two drinkers Pam and Shane will be propping up either end of the bar from around 7pm onwards. I worry for them. Pam has been redundant since the bus company shut down the route to the desert, and Shane manages to work a couple of days at Jojamart, stacking shelves. It’s a soulless job and he could do with something more fulfilling. This might help, but I’m loth to give him the chance.

“He’s offered to take care of the chickens a few days a week. It’ll give me a much-needed break and some time for us to be together.”

Jerusha, you know I don’t mind not seeing you constantly. We’ve both got work here in the Valley and we knew that before we started this relationship. You don’t need…”

“Harvey,” She gives me a look, pleading, “I’m shattered. I’m running on empty. I’m not sure how much longer I can do this. I’m making enough money to be able to make a difference to someone else’s life. Besides, I think Shane needs this. Mentally he’s not in the best place right now. Marnie and I found him passed out in his room when I went to order the new coop. He’d drunk himself into a stupor, said he had no reason to live. Poor Jas heard him say it and burst into tears.”

I feel like I’m being backed into a corner, it’s no coincidence that she has mentioned Jas, she knows I’m a soft touch where children are concerned. I make one last effort, knowing it will be useless. “Jerusha, you can’t have him around, you can’t trust him to behave decently towards you after what happened.”

“Harvey, honey.” She takes my face in her hands. “I need this. There’s no-one else who can do it and I need to be able to have some time off. He promised me that he would never bother me like that again and I promise you at the first sign of trouble I’ll call you.”

“No. I’ll be with you. For his first couple of shifts at least. I want him to know that you’ve got me to look after you now and that we’re together.”

She exhales, “If that will make you feel better…”

“It will.”

She kisses me, “Thank you honey.”

We decided that Shane should start work the next Tuesday when Maru could look after the clinic and call me if there was an emergency. I would spend the day with Jerusha on Barrowbank Farm, to reassure myself at least that Shane could be trusted around my girlfriend. 

Jerusha thanks me with a kiss and leaves. She’s off to the mines, so I won’t be able to call her later. She usually doesn’t get home until after midnight on her mining days, and there’s no signal down there. I’ve furnished her with a first aid kit, some field snacks and a sturdy metal water flask. It’s the best I can do. I’ll see her the next day if she pops in to see me. I’ll call her in the morning to check she’s okay anyway.

In the meantime, I had come to a decision of my own. On a date to a French restaurant, a venue that had become a favourite of ours, Jerusha had mentioned that Kent, one of Pelican Town’s villagers, had been captured and held as a prisoner of war in an internment camp, during the Gotoro – Ferngill War. I’d been a conscientious objector in the war; gone to prison for it. 

He might appreciate an understanding, friendly ear. He didn’t like me at all, but that wouldn’t stop me trying. 

At the weekend on Sunday, after lunch, I purposely took a stroll that led me to the house where Kent lived with his wife, Jodie and two children, Sam and little Vincent.

It was a beautiful day, and I was wishing that I were walking to Barrowbank Farm to meet Jerusha. I was determined to give this a go however and rang the doorbell.

Jodie answered the door. “H-hey Mrs Bondeson. Is it possible to speak to Kent briefly, please?” Yoba. This was awkward. My hand went instinctively to the back of my head and Jodie blushed deeply when she saw me, as she always did.

The winter before Jerusha had come to the Valley, Jodie had shown up at my clinic one day. Kent had been away for over a year serving in the army and Jodie had started coming to see me quite regularly with various minor ailments. Some I suspected were invented, but I sensed that she was lonely and on a more mercenary note, she and her family had excellent health insurance cover and I didn’t mind the extra cash that brought to the clinic.

This day was different, she smelled of alcohol and was more than a little tipsy. 

“Mrs Bondeson, what can I do for you today?”

“I got an ache doc. I got it reeeaaall bad.”

She is slurring her words and I am concerned that she’s going to fall. I lead her over to one of the examination tables, “Just sit here and I’ll give you the once over.”

“Yeah you will. Once over the table.”

I turn back to her after picking up my stethoscope, “I’m sorry, what did you… Oh Yoba.”

Jodie has undone her coat. 

She’s not wearing anything underneath it. 

I turn away hastily, turning my back to her, “Mrs Bondeson, please put your coat back on. I’m your doctor, I can deal with any health problems you have, but not like this.”

“Come on Doc. Live a little. I’ve been so lonely since Kent went away. Don’t tell me you’re not in need of some company from time to time.”

I can already feel a fierce heat of a blush in my face. I back up to my desk, scrunching up my eyes, and reaching for the office phone. 

“Maru? Can you come in here please? Mrs Bondeson needs a chaperone.”

“Sure thing doc. Be careful, I think she might have had a few drinks.”

“You don’t say?” I gasp.

In all my years of practice, I’ve never been put in such a compromising position. I’m careful to keep a clear professional distance between myself and my patients. I don’t date any of them and I’m not the kind of person who has brief dalliances. 

Jodi has approached me from behind and now has her hands wrapped round my waist. I have no idea what to do, I’m frozen to the spot. It’s so intrusive and sudden, I don’t have the wherewithal to even extricate myself from her embrace. 

Thankfully, Maru knocks at the door.

“Come in!” My voice pitched much higher than I expected, almost a scream.

Maru’s casual manner stops as she surveys the scene, trying desperately to keep her composure and not laugh“, Um, are you alright doc?”

Jodie grabs her coat and covers herself. “We’re just fine, me and the doc! Isn’t that right Harvey?”

“Maru, could you please sort Mrs Bondeson out with some Tylenol? I think she’ll need it for the morning.”

Maru tries to hide a smile, “Sure thing doc. I'll be right back.”

"No! Maru! Take her with you!"

"Oh, riiiiight." I narrow my eyes at her. She's enjoying my discomfort a bit TOO much.

"This way Mrs Bondeson."

“Noooo! I’m sick! I need treating!”

“And we’ll make sure you get the treatment you need. Now, if you could put your coat on and come with me.”

“Thank you, Maru.” I whisper as she escorts Jodie to the door after making her decent again.

“You owe me big doc.” She hisses back at me before leaving. 

I duck upstairs to get my breath back and cancel my appointments for the rest of the day.

Jodie has never apologised for the incident and now Kent is back, I imagine that she’d like to forget it. Things are still uncomfortable between us and she only really comes to clinic in an emergency or to bring Vincent for regular treatment. 

Except now, here I am on her doorstep wanting to speak to Kent. I can only imagine what she thinks I’ll be speaking to him about.  
“Hi Doctor Brennan, erm, come in for a moment. Kent will be awake any minute.” She can’t meet my eye. 

Up? I thought glancing at my watch. It’s gone 2pm, is he still in bed?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harvey speaks to Kent.

I sit on the couch perched on the edge of the cushions feeling more and more uncomfortable by the second. Jodie, red-faced, still unable to meet my gaze, removes a pile of bed clothes from the floor. Someone is sleeping on the couch at night, and it certainly isn’t Kent.

She makes a terrible excuse about having some shopping to do at Jojamart and leaves after me turning down the offer of a cup of coffee.

The bedroom door opens finally and Kent, groggy and bleary-eyed emerges. He’s dressed in stained tracksuit bottoms and an even more stained and ancient tee shirt. Seeing me, he snarls, “What are you doing here?” 

What the hell AM I doing here? What am I hoping to achieve confronting him like this in his own home? He’d be perfectly within his rights to throw me out. Kent and I have absolutely nothing in common. He’s a rugged ex-soldier, into sports and beer and I’m well, let’s face it, I’m everything Kent is not. 

“I wanted to talk to you.”

He scoffs - derision dripping from him like sweat, “What is this Brennan? A date?”

“An attempt at friendship.”

Kent looks at me properly for the first time, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, “Oh yes? What makes you think that you could offer me anything Doc?”

I take a deep breath, “I heard you were in an internment camp. I thought you might like to talk to someone who understands.”

“Fuck off! What would you know about It? The loss of freedom? About having all your rights taken away. The pain? Huh?” His voice has become a little hoarse as if he may burst into tears at any moment.

“Kent, I went to prison for my beliefs. Believe me. I know.”

His demeanour shifts instantly, “I… I didn’t know.” He slumps sullenly in a nearby chair. 

“Yeah.” I say softly, “Well, I guess there is a lot of assumptions we’ve made about each other.”

There follows an uncomfortable silence, neither of us knowing how to proceed. I feel for the Xanax in my pocket, cursing myself that I didn’t take a couple before I embarked on this fool’s errand. 

“Doctor Brennan,” He starts. It’s the first time he’s ever called me that, “Doctor, things happened there I can’t talk about with anyone. What they did, what they made us do. How they treated us. You’ve seen the reports in the newspapers. Living it was worse.”

I nodded. “Kent, I’ve read the stories coming out of the camps at Gotoro Bay, the abuse, the human rights infringements. I, I went through something similar in prison. It pollutes and poisons every part of your life if you let it. I Still have the scars, physical and mental. Even now 7 years on I still have nightmares.”

Kent groans, “Oh Yoba doc, don’t tell me those don’t go away?” 

“It gets better Kent I promise you. But fitting back in after experiencing something like that, it’s not something that can be rushed. It’s taken me all this time to even think about getting into a relationship again for example. You’re lucky, you have a family that loves and supports you - two boys who adore their father...”

“They wouldn’t if they knew what had happened. Terrible, shameful things. Doc, you can’t even imagine.”

“Kent, trust me, I can. I’m just across the square at the clinic if you ever need to talk about it. Believe me, it’ll help. Sarah Goldberg is a great listener, and a great doctor, but she hasn’t been there. I’m always available for a chat if you need me. The clinic doors are always open for you if necessary, even in the middle of the night.”

I’m shaking a little now as the hurt in his voice is so familiar, so close to how I’d felt those years ago when everything was raw, so painful it threatened to envelope me in darkness and I couldn’t see any light. I knew how he must be feeling, lost and unable to slot himself neatly back into life where everyone else was simply living their lives in ignorant normality. I cursed the macho culture Kent had come from where he wasn't allowed to feel anything other than hate and anger. The emotions that led men to kill without question. 

“The house is different.” He mumbled. “Nothing is where I left it when I was called up. I can’t find simple things, I’m a stranger in my own home. Everything has been moved around. Everyone moved on, but me, I’m…”

“Still stuck there?” I venture.

His eyes lower, “Yeah.”

“I mean it Kent, it gets better, but you really should speak to Jodie about this, You don’t have to go into any details, but let her know about how you’re feeling. She’ll understand. She, she loves you.”

“I don’t think she does Doc.”

I lean over and put my hand on his arm, thankfully he doesn’t flinch, or worse, punch me, “Remember, she’s adjusting too. Returning to loved ones isn’t all hearts and flowers. We pin our hopes on it, but we have to remember that they have moved on without us, because they had to. They’ve had to develop coping strategies too. What I can tell you is that she is still here with you. She could easily have left or kicked you out, but she’s here for you and that means a lot. She might not express her love to you in other ways, but sticking around? That’s real love.”

“What happened when you got back Doc?”

I hesitate. I have spent more time talking about Megan this year than I cared to, but for Kent’s sake I recounted the story again. Megan’s lies about me being the father of her unborn child, how she led me on for weeks until she confessed the truth. How the betrayal had broken me even further than I already was, and how I almost lost my job, my career. I noticed that through retelling it hurt less. Like I was talking about someone else at some other time. I wasn’t that man anymore. I hadn’t realised how much I’d moved on since last spring. I had Jerusha to thank for that mostly. 

“Yoba Doc, that must have been rough.”

I give him a small smile, “You know what Kent? All that led me to be here and to meet Jerusha. So maybe there was a purpose to it after all.”

“I’m not sure that I can see a purpose to anything right now.”

“Kent, you have a new fight on your hands now. I can’t promise you it’ll be easy, but please take it from someone who’s been there. Stay around for your family. You’ve got two fantastic kids, you’re so lucky in that regard. They need you Kent. Never underestimate the importance of your role in their lives. Don’t take yourself out of the equation, it will destroy them. If you ever need to talk to someone, my door is always open. Any reason, anytime, just come in."

There is silence for a while, and I was contemplating making my excuses and leaving when Kent rouses himself, “Doc, I haven’t eaten breakfast, wanna join me in the saloon?”

“Erm, yeah, if that would help.”

“It would.”

We leave the house and cross the square to the saloon. Gus opens his eyes wide when he sees Kent and I approaching the bar, but in true unruffled bartender fashion, he soon regains his composure and pours our drinks order. Coffee for us both and Kent orders pancakes. 

We sit at the bar side by side. Kent eating his pancakes and me sipping Gus’s excellent coffee. I refuse his offer of food. The conversation we had has left me with little appetite.  
“I wanna say sorry for how I treated you Harvey.” Kent mumbles through a mouthful of pancake. “I didn’t think that anyone who hadn’t served could go through an experience like mine. This post traumatic shit is tough, and I felt really… alone. No-one in the family understands. Doc Goldberg listens, but she’s not been through it like we have.”

“I can’t imagine what you’ve been through Kent, but I know I can be here and listen, if you’ll let me.”

“Could we meet up again? For a talk?”

“Sure thing Kent. I told you. Anything to help. You know, that IS my job.”

“Thanks Doc, I really appreciate it. It helps, you know, meeting someone who came out the other side of this.”

“And you will too Kent. Like I said it won’t be easy, but you’ll get there.”

Suddenly my phone chimes, letting me know I have a message. Excusing the interruption, I check the screen. It’s another text from the ID withheld number. 

*Who the fuck do you think you are? Why would any woman look at you twice? *

I hastily put the phone back into my jacket pocket, not wanting Kent to see it. I’ve been receiving sporadic messages from the same number now since Jerusha’s and my date at Chez Adèline. Jerusha had received a couple too, but not as many as me. The messages came about 4-5 times a week and were aimed at undermining my confidence in mine and Jerusha’s relationship and any new-found confidence in myself.

I had suspected Kent originally but as he was now sitting next to me in some comradeship, phone nowhere in sight, I could strike him off the list of people I thought might be responsible.

“The wife?” Kent asks teasingly.

I hadn’t expected the physical reaction that those words dragged out of me. 

‘Wife’. 

I know it was a joke, but it brought up something I hadn’t dared think about or express in words or indeed thoughts. 

I gasped. Then blushed, but Kent was busy with his food, unaware of the effect his off-the-cuff remark had on me. 

“Yeah.” I lie, not wanting to tell him the truth.

“’Spect she wants to know where you are? Who you’re with, what you’re doing? You’ll learn doc, women. They all nag. It’s in their nature. They’re all the same”

Yoba, I hate this kind of talk, hated it when I was younger, hate it even more now. “They do it because they care, and if we men weren’t such dicks all the time, maybe they wouldn’t have to take on all the responsibilities that they do.”

Kent looks at me as if I’ve grown two heads. “Ok Doc. Sheesh. Only joking.”

I want to tell him it’s not funny, but I feel like we’re treading a delicate line in our new-found but still uneasy, friendship, "Tell me a good shaggy dog story next time instead.”

I try and say it as casually as possible, not wanting to upset the equilibrium we have somehow found. Thankfully, he takes it in good part and laughs good -humouredly, which is oddly endearing, “Sure thing Doc. Keep forgetting I’m not in the barracks anymore.”

“That’s okay.”

“Hey honey. Good evening Mr Bondeson.”

Jerusha has come into the bar, unnoticed by either of us until now. I turn in my seat to face her. “Hey sweetheart. Didn’t hear you come in.”

“I’m a ninja farmer.” She quips, kissing me and drawing away a little to look in my eyes and give a quizzical movement of her brows to say, what in Yoba’s name are you doing here with Kent of all people?

I frown a little and shake my head almost imperceptibly, trying to convey to her that I’ll tell her the entire story later. Mercifully, she understands and turns to Kent with a wide and welcoming smile, “Kent! Good to see you! How’s Jodie and the boys?”

“Afternoon Miss Farmer. They’re all fine thanks. How’s farming life treating you?”

“Oh, y’know,” She smiles at me and slips her arm round my waist, “It was tough at first, but it got a lot better recently.” She kisses my cheek and I feel her regard envelop me like a warm blanket. 

Again, tell me how I got so lucky?

“I’m pleased for you both.” He says genuinely, glancing ostentatiously at his watch, “But would you look at the time? I’d best be getting home. Jodie will worry and I’d best not be a dick and let her know where I’ve been eh Doc?”

He winks at me and slides off the bar stool, indicating for Jerusha to take his place. “I’ll see you around Doc, thanks for, you know.”

“Anytime Kent, just let me know when you need me again and I’ll be here.”

He leaves and Jerusha turns slowly on her seat and looks at me open-mouthed, “Harvey! Wha – What just happened?”

I slump slightly as if I’ve been holding my breath for the last couple of hours and was able to breathe freely again. I’m completely exhausted by the ordeal. I lean my elbow on the bar and remove my glasses to rub my face. “After what you told me, I went to see Kent. You were right. We’ve been through similar experiences during the war. I – I think we may have bonded a bit.” I clean the lenses of my glasses and replace them on my face. 

“Harvey.” Jerusha’s voice is low and there is an emotion I can’t quite place in her voice, “Did you make the first move on this?”

“Er, yeah. It’s been on my mind since you told me about it. I thought I’d try and straighten things out.”

“That was an incredibly brave thing to do honey. I’m really proud of you.”

“Thanks.”  
“How do you feel?”

“I’m utterly drained by the whole thing, if I’m honest.”

“I bet. That can’t have been easy for you. How about you come back to mine and I make you some food?”

“Thank you, that is so sweet. I’m not really hungry. I’m probably just going to go home and sleep.”

After walking Jerusha back to Barrowbank, that is exactly what I did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. I'm writing this fic for fun, it's keeping me sane in lockdown.  
> As always, comments and kudos welcome.  
> Mature tags are for swearing and adult themes.   
> Thanks for sticking with me thus far!

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thank you for reading.  
> Comments and Kudos welcome. I'm trying to improve my writing.   
> Will never be as good as some people here, but I'm practising! :)   
> New Chapter up Wednesday x


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